Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign

Stimulating Canada's Technology Sector

TORONTO, Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Alpha Group and Backbone magazine are pleased to announce the launch of the Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign. This Campaign is the combination of a national contest aimed at identifying inspired Canadian technology ideas and entrepreneurs and following the winners in their journey to bringing ideas to the marketplace over a period of a year. This Campaign is a unique opportunity to learn about what it takes to build a technology company and to understand the eco-system within which technology companies can thrive.

"The technology sector in Canada needs attention," states Jos Schmitt, CEO of Alpha Group. "We don't lack innovation or entrepreneurs, we don't lack investors, but we do lack an efficient eco-system and securities exchange that will allow great technology entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into successful companies that will in turn fuel our economy. Promising entrepreneurs go to the U.S., get acquired at an early stage or list too early in Canada. The result is a Canadian economy without a developed technology sector that is so critical to its future. The Alpha Exchange wants to change this, not only by proposing a new approach to listings and liquidity truly focused on the success of the issuers, but also by helping to build the eco-system that is critical to these companies in the initial and early stages of their life-cycle. This is why we decided to launch, with Backbone, the Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign."

"The Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign is consistent with Backbone's mandate of inspiring innovation and helping companies learn from other businesses," says Steve Dietrich, Publisher of Backbone magazine. "After the contest, it becomes a live case study. It not only allows for a great profile for the winner but will provide excellent stories for our readers. It is also an opportunity for Backbone and our sponsors to further Canada's overall competitiveness on the world stage."

Call for Entries

Qualified entrants are early-stage companies with revenue of no more than $2 million annually. Successful entrants will have a ready-to-sell product or service and a complete business plan and market analysis. Any business or technology sector is relevant.

The Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign includes the following:

• $95,000 in prizes (part seed capital, part products and services)
• A live pitch event, judged by leading technology and business leaders
• A full year of follow-up editorial exposure (successes, challenges, advice) in print and online
• The top 200 applicants will be featured guests at the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), being held from Oct. 22 to 24, 2012 in Montreal.

The competition application form is online at www.backbonemag.com/startmeup

Timing of the Campaign:

• Contest Applications  Until March 31, 2012
• Judging  April 2 to 21, 2012
• Awards Event May 16, 2012
• Follow-Up Winner Stories - Online and Print  May 2012 to April 2013

About Alpha Group - Alpha Group is an organization set up by nine leading Canadian financial institutions in 2007 to reinvigorate trading in Canadian markets at a time it was characterized by a lack of liquidity, efficiency, innovation and state-of-the art technology. After having achieved substantial results in the Canadian trading space with its Alternative Trading System (Alpha ATS), a marketplace competing for the trading business with other organizations such as the incumbent exchange, Alpha Group decided to bring similar change and benefits in the Canadian listing space. This led to the formation of the Alpha Exchange, the new generation Canadian exchange built on the principles of trust and entrepreneurship. In mid December 2011, Alpha Exchange received regulatory approval from the Ontario Securities Commission, with an effective launch date planned within the next couple of months. Alpha Exchange will not only foster quality listings and liquidity, but also re-energize innovation and entrepreneurship in Canada across the industry sectors that have been neglected over the past several years. One of these sectors is technology.

For further information regarding Alpha Group, visit www.alpha-group.ca.

About Backbone - Backbone magazine is a broad-based business magazine focused on technology. Distribution is 100,000 copies to The Globe and Mail subscribers, 1,000 to Air Canada Lounges, 3,000 to 4,000 copies to approximately 10 tech/business trade shows per month and 150 innovation-related events per year. Backbone targets educated, influential and affluent decision makers, early adopters and forward-thinking executives who strive to keep up to date with important technology trends for business and personal use.

SOURCE Alpha Group